In addition to the Ohio Web Library, Ohio's three library networks — INFOhio, OhioLINK and OPLIN — offer more research resources and services that serve the specialized needs of their school, public and academic library communities. Where the needs of Ohio's school, public and academic library users intersect, Libraries Connect Ohio, a partnership of the three library networks and the State Library, can cooperatively buy statewide access to resources to cost-effectively provide necessary information resources to all Ohioans, regardless of their location, age, education or economic status.

Imagine the possibilities if from the moment Ohioans registered for kindergarten, until life's last library card expired, they could access a vast collection of electronic research resources. This is the vision Libraries Connect Ohio (LCO) is working to achieve. While the ideal Ohio Web Library collection has not yet been realized, work has begun.

How can the Ohio Web Library help me?

The Ohio Web Library has resources to help Ohioans of all ages and at all stages of life.

Ohio Students — Get help with your homework, find research sources for term papers, or explore topics of personal interest.

Teachers and Professors — Use resources to support your teaching, engage students and enhance your professional development.

Employees and Business Owners — Find reliable business information, access trade journals and keep current on industry trends.

All
Ohio residents — Stay current with world events, professional news and topics of personal interest.

Who can use the Ohio Web Library?

Although there are a few links to some resources that are publicly accessible, the vast majority of Ohio Web Library resources are available to Ohio residents only.

These resources are paid for by a blend of state, local, and federal dollars and there may be terms and conditions attached to that funding. These resources are also licensed to the LCO partners by third-party vendors and there are contractual obligations regarding authorized use and users, branding, and use of the name of the resource and company name in press releases. Please inquire about specific terms and conditions and contractual obligations if any agency or entity is interested in incorporating or linking to these resources outside of library websites or other established channels.

How do I access the Ohio Web Library?

Use your mobile computer or a public access computer at your local Ohio public, academic or school library.

When at home, work or on the road, our system will try to verify that you are using a computer located in Ohio; if that can be verified, you will be granted access.

If our system cannot verify that your computer is in Ohio, you will need one of the following forms of identification to log on: an Ohio public library card number, a name and ID information from a participating Ohio college/university, or a password from a K-12 Ohio school library.

Visit the Ohio Web Library home page to connect and begin using these resources. You can also access the Ohio Web Library resources via OhioLINK (if you attend or work at a participating Ohio college or university), or INFOhio (if you attend or work at an Ohio PreK-12 school), or your local library's Web page.

Why should I need identification?

Ohio Web Library resources were purchased by Ohio libraries and library organizations for exclusive use by Ohio residents. If our system cannot verify that you are located in Ohio, use of an Ohio public library card, a name and ID information from a participating Ohio college/university, or a password from a K-12 Ohio school library provides reasonable assurance to the database providers that the user is an Ohio resident.

How does the
Ohio Web Library compare to the free Internet?

It is a myth that the authoritative information Ohioans need for school, work and lifelong learning is available for free on the Internet. Authoritative information resources are mostly provided by commercial enterprises and there is a cost to obtain or use those resources. When you need reliable, authoritative resources for school assignments, business research or lifelong education, turn to the Ohio Web Library for information you can trust.

While the free Internet can also be useful in the research process, you have to watch out for broken links, unverified information, questionable results from search engines and fees for full-text materials. The Ohio Web Library goes beyond the Internet and provides you with access to subscription-only resources. The resources available in the Ohio Web Library are verified by editors and scholars, are created by credible sources, and are acceptable for class assignments.

How does the
Ohio Web Library benefit the state?

A robust Ohio Web Library will provide all Ohioans with access to the authoritative, educational resources that are necessary for life in the information-intensive 21st century, and ensure that:

every school, public, and academic library throughout the state — regardless of size, location or fiscal resources — has equal access to available online materials;

Ohio students have a consistent set of online resources to use, at home or at school, as they move through primary, secondary and higher education;

educators across the state have access to a broad range of online materials to support curricula; and

Ohio business owners, entrepreneurs, government officials, state employees and workers have instantaneous access to the vital information necessary to do their jobs, make decisions and promote economic growth.

Why license and provide these resources statewide?

As a democracy, it is critical that access to necessary information resources be provided to all citizens. Historically, in print and even now via the Internet, the highest quality information is sold commercially. Libraries have traditionally provided the means of providing information access to the masses. By working together and purchasing authoritative, commercially provided reference and research resources at the statewide level, Libraries Connect Ohio is able to provide all Ohioans with access to the resources necessary for life in the information intensive 21st century. Comprehensive individual purchases by libraries across the state are not affordable and thus statewide access is not assured. If every school, college, university, and public library were to purchase these resources individually, either in print or electronic forms, the cost would be in the multi-millions of dollars. With ever-tightening local budgets, few libraries can afford these resources on their own, let alone the space to store them. Electronic access also allows for more convenient, faster, and cheaper information sharing.

Who funds the Ohio Web Library?

As a taxpayer, you fund the Ohio Web Library through a combination of state and federal taxes. Specifically, the Ohio Web Library is funded by a federal Library Services and Technology Act grant through the State Library of Ohio, which provides about $1.5 million per year. The three LCO library networks — INFOhio, OhioLINK and OPLIN — provide an additional $3 million in state funds each year from their budgets.